Getting Back to Me
by StormLover
Summary: Logan is in love with his best friend but she doesn't know it. Ororo is facing a life altering situation. Will the love of those closest to her, help her to get back to the Ororo she once knew? ROLO, ROMY, JOTT, and a few friends from the Avengers make guest appearances. Please R & R.
1. Chapter 1: A Night to Remember

Chapter 1: A Night to Remember

Ororo walked toward the lake, the moonlight illuminating the path. She walked slowly, enjoying the feel of the grass under her bare feet. She was happy to be free of the constricting shoes she wore on her date with Forge.

A gentle smile creased her face as she thought about the man who held her heart. She lifted her left hand and gazed at the new piece of jewelry that occupied her ring finger. Her mind replayed the scene that took place just a few hours ago and she was still on cloud nine as they say. She hated that he needed to finish working on a project with Hank in the lab upon their return to the mansion but he promised to make it up to her once he arrived to her loft later that evening.

Excited to share her news, Ororo decided to head to the lake where she knew Logan spent many evenings, communing with nature and meditating to keep the beast at bay.

Deep in thought, Ororo wasn't aware that she was being followed. The figure stalked the beautiful woman, enjoying how the moonlight seemed to make her glow, her white dress a pleasing contrast to her mocha color skin. Needing to be closer to her, the stalker decided to make his presence known.

Climbing up into the nearest tree, he leaped across to one along the path she traveled and jumped down to the ground, bending with his landing, taking in the goddess's shocked expression as he stood.

"Logan," she gasped, making him smirk unconsciously. He loved to hear her say his name like that and made a point of startling her often. Though she scowled him, he continued to do it. "You're going to be the death of me," she told him, willing her heart to slow down.

"Then I'll just have to scare ya back to life," he replied.

"You're hopeless," she replied with a smile, taking his arm after swatting him good naturedly.

"Maybe, but this dress is giving me some hopeful thoughts," he said, taking her hand from his arm and with a slight push, encouraged her to do a slow turn. To complete the impromptu dance, he dipped her, making her laugh out loud. He smiled as her musical laughter filled the air. He held her there for a second longer than appropriate, enjoying the feel of her. Before he became lost in the sea in her eyes, he lifted her and settled her on her feet.

"You're incorrigible," she told him with a smile, getting a smirk in return as he offered her his arm. Shaking her head, she took it, use to his flirting. He was almost as bad as Remy.

"Looking good, darlin'. Have a good date?" he asked after a moment, guiding her along the path as he always did whenever they were near the lake or out on one of their strolls.

"Yes," she replied, coming to stop at the edge of the deck, enjoying the warmth that emitted from the feral mutant. "I even have a small token to commemorate the occasion," she told him while holding out her left hand, watching as the diamond sparkled in the moonlight.

"Holy shit, he popped the question," Logan exclaimed, taking her hand and eyeing the rock closely, "This set him back a small fortune."

"Maybe, but don't you think I'm worth it?" she teased, causing him to chuckle as he released her hand.

"Without a doubt," he replied in mock seriousness. Though he knew she cared very little for material things, he knew how important that night was for her.

Ororo and Forge had been dating for the past two years and Ororo thought that things were great between them and had confided in Logan that she thought that they would end up getting married.

Logan, as much as it pained him, told her he was happy for her and he hoped she was right. And as it turns out she was. Externally, Logan was being the true friend that he was but internally he was torn up about it. _Another one bites the dust_ , he thought as he watched her smile lovingly down at the sparkling diamond. _First Jean, then Ororo. I guess it's not in the cards for me_ , he thought as he gazed out at the dark water. _Always the friend, never the lover_.

"Logan?" Ororo called out giving his arm a slight shake after he didn't respond to her first question.

"Huh?" he responded, looking over at her and focusing on her concerned face.

"Are you alright, my friend?" she asked.

"Yeah, just thinking," he replied.

"Those must be some heavy thoughts," she replied teasingly, looking back over the water.

"Yeah," he replied honestly but choosing not to elaborate. He knew she wouldn't press him for more information, feeling as he did that when a person was ready to share, they would. "Did ya need to ask me something?"

"Yes," she began but Logan turned to face the dark path. Ororo turned and saw a light slowly making its way toward them.

"Forge," Logan told her, taking a step away from her, wanting to keep the peace for Ororo.

Truth be told, Logan didn't like Forge very much and he learned during the course of Forge's relationship with Ororo that the feeling was mutual. So, Logan stepped away from his friend to stand at a more acceptable distance as her fiancée emerged from the woods.

"Logan," Forge greeted him as he made his way over to Ororo.

"Forge," Logan responded, turning away from the couple, not wanting to see their greeting.

"Did you share the news, beloved?" Forge asked, turning to stand beside Ororo, his free arm going around her waist possessively.

"Yes but I didn't ask him about the ceremony," she told him, gazing up at him lovingly.

"That's okay because there may be a slight change to that," he replied.

"Oh," she replied, looking at him questioningly.

"I think its best we discuss it in the loft, love. Do you mind taking us there? The woods have grown quite dark and I don't want the walk to trigger your claustrophobia."

"Aww, aren't you considerate," she replied, leaning up to kiss his lips gently. Turning to her friend, she asked, "Logan, would you like a lift back to the mansion?"

"Naw, ya'll go ahead. I'm gonna stay," he replied.

"Okay. Good night, my friend. See you in the morning," Ororo told him as the wind picked up around them and she and Forge lifted into the sky and glided out of sight.

Logan watched until he couldn't make her out through the trees on the starry night. Though he hated to admit it to himself, he wished that Forge had kept his proposal to himself. Not that he wanted to deny his friend, not scratch that, his best friend, her happiness, but his friendship with her meant just as much. Sighing, he knew that the choice had been made for him and he didn't like it but what could he do. He was in love with another woman who was in love with someone else.

"At least I'm consistent," he thought, retrieving his cigar from his pocket, lighting it up.


	2. Chapter 2: Missing in Action

Chapter 2: Missing in Action

 _Three years later_

Ororo made her way silently into the slightly deserted science lab. Using the master key card that had been bequeathed to her as a byproduct of her marriage to the head scientist, she bypassed all of the security systems in the building. Feeling a bit rusty, she would have welcomed the opportunity to utilize her skills in picking locks and disarming security systems but the mission before her took precedence over her feelings of nostalgia.

She arrived at her husband's lab with the intention of surprising him. Being their 3rd wedding anniversary, she was determined to spend some time with him, despite his normal excuse of being busy with lab work. She had grown tired of spending more time alone than she did with him and decided that their anniversary would be the beginning of their efforts to recapture the romance and love that was once an integral part of their union.

Ororo had a romantic evening planned for them and wasn't taking no for an answer. She put on a big smile as she neared the corner where his lab resided. As she got closer to the lab, she could hear grunts and groans. Sure she was mistaken, Ororo turned the corner and her smile fell, becoming an o of surprise as she spied her husband engaged in a heated embrace with Diana, a fellow scientist. She stood there for a few seconds, frozen in place as she watched her husband thrusting into the moaning woman. Her unmistakable cries of completion broke Ororo out of her paralysis and she left as quietly as she arrived, her mind replaying the scene over and over. Once she was in her car and headed home, only then did she realize that the sky had opened up and all of her grief that she had yet to express was pouring down in sheets.

Pulling over to the side of the road, she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, visualizing Logan in her mind as she remembered his lessons on mediation. Once she had calmed down enough to rein in her powers, she reached under the driver's seat and pulled out a phone. She pressed a button and spoke a few words. The other party on the line responded favorably and she disconnected the call. Placing that phone in her bag and removing her "other" phone, Ororo removed the sim card and dismantled the phone, tossing the pieces out on the rain ravaged road. Rolling up the window, Ororo headed home, her mind focused on the late night trip ahead of her.

She debated whether or not to leave him a note. Deciding against it, she closed and locked the door behind her. Stashing the key in the secret compartment near the mailbox, Ororo took to the sky, headed to a place where she could begin the healing process.

She arrived at the rendezvous point fifteen minutes later than the appointed time. She knew that despite her tardiness, her contact would be waiting for her. She was right as she descended slowly from her cruising height.

"What took ya so long, 'chere?" Remy asked the woman who was closer to him than any of his blood relation other than his father.

"Needed to take the long way around to get my thoughts together so you could fly us out of here," she replied honestly as she walked to him and gave him a strong hug, "I've missed you dearly, brother."

"Feelin's mutual, padnat," he replied, turning them and leading her up the walkway into the belly of the plane. They settled into their seats in the mini X-Jet and before he lifted off, Remy turned to look at the goddess who sat, looking out of the window, her focus on keeping her emotions in check so that they could travel safely.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, gradually pulling back on the thrust, lifting them in the air.

"Not if you want to make it home in one piece," she replied, looking over at him with tears in her eyes, one slipping through her lashes. She looked away, wiping the wetness away angrily, the peal of thunder expressing her anger for her.

 _Mon Dieu_ , Remy thought angrily, his eyes brightening briefly, expressing his own feelings about the situation. He had been getting ready to spend a special evening with his lady love when the emergency cell he carried on him rung.

Excusing himself quickly, he went into the restroom and picked up the phone. Glancing at the number, he knew that his plans had suddenly changed.

After ending the call, he headed back out and spoke to his love, telling her that he was needed at home and would call her soon. Knowing the lifestyle he had once led, Rogue gave him a kiss and bid him safe travels, knowing that when he was able, he would share details of the situation with her.

Now sitting next to the other woman he loved more than life, he vowed to make right whatever wrong that forced her to use a cell that only a few people in the world knew about and even less used.

Guiding the aircraft through the dark sky, Remy couldn't help but to look over at his quiet companion and speculate what could have happened. Though his gaze was filled with concern, it was also filled with awe and respect for the woman known to some as a goddess but to many others, a friend who would give her last to help someone in need. Now that she was the one in need, it was up to him and maybe a few others to help her get past this difficult time.

Hearing her sigh, he glanced back at her and watched as she turned to face the front of the aircraft, her eyes glowing white as she assisted Mother Nature in providing the best conditions for him to guide them to the miniscule landing strip that was bordered on either side by a swamp teeming with wildlife. Landing the plane in a safer part of the makeshift airport, he killed the engines and opened the hatched, getting to his feet and following her wordlessly. As the platform lowered, the smiling face of their father met them.

"Welcom' home," Jean Luc LeBeau greeted his children, engulfing his daughter in a tight hug. Unable to hold back her emotions, the sky opened up and the tears that she had fought came down in a steady pace, the plane's wing providing them with shelter from the onslaught.

"Tings be fine soon," Jean Luc assured his daughter soothingly, rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

After a few minutes, the rain slowed to a drizzle. Pulling away, Jean Luc gazed into Ororo's blue eyes and waited for her to let him know she was okay. She nodded slightly and without relinquishing his hold on her, he signaled to his son to drive them in while he sat in the back of the family car and cradled his daughter as he had when she was younger.


	3. Chapter 3: Finding the Goddess

_**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and added me and/or the story to your favorites lists. Your actions are inspiring and as a treat, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 3: Finding the Goddess

 _Three days later_

"Where is she?" Forge asked Scott Summers, as he exited his personal jet in the underground hangar at the Xavier Mansion.

"Who?" Scott asked, confusion marring his handsome face. He was on call and had received Forge's communication while he was in route to the mansion. He'd asked Jean to sit in the War Room while he met Forge in the hangar.

"Ororo. I know she's here. Where is she?" Forge responded, walking past a puzzled Scott into the hallway.

"Hold on, Forge," Scott said, grabbing the man's arm. Forge immediately snatched his arm away and the men glared at each other. Scott spoke first, sounding like the team leader he was. "Explain to me why you are looking for Ororo here when she's suppose to be with you?"

"Because I know she's here and you're covering for her," he responded breathing heavily.

"What?! Why would we do that? We haven't heard from Ororo in months and now you're showing up here accusing us of covering up her presence at the mansion?" Scott asked incredulously.

"Well, if she isn't here, then I know there are at least two people in this place who knows where she is. Where is Remy or Logan? I need to speak with them at once," he responded before turning to head down the hallway. Just as he turned the corner, he ran right into Logan who had just finished a Danger Room session and was heading to his room for a much needed shower.

"There you are. I know you know where she is and you need to tell me where she is right this damn minute," Forge accused the feral mutant.

"What da fuck are ya blabbing about?" Logan growled.

"Ororo. I know you know where she is so you need to tell me right damn now," Forge said, taking a menacingly step closer.

"Forge," Scott called out, knowing that things were going downhill fast, "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Scott. This motherfucker knows where my wife is and I'm not leaving until he tells me," Forge replied, glaring at Logan.

Growling, Logan yanked the man up so fast, Forge didn't register that Logan had him until he saw the claws aimed at his face.

"Where da fuck do ya come off accusing me of some shit I don't know nothing about," Logan snarled, "I ain't seen or heard from Ro in months and ya come in here accusing me of knowing where she is and she's yer fucking wife?!"

"Ya need to start talking because Ro ain't here," Logan replied just as Hank rounded the corner with the Professor.

"Logan, please release him," Charles requested.

"Naw Chuck. This bastard accusing us of hiding Ro when we ain't seen 'er in months. And leaving without telling someone where she going ain't Ro's style, so something happened and I want him to tell us what da fuck he did?"

"We all would like to know that as well but we cannot unless we can talk to him sensibly," Charles told him.

"Fine," Logan growled after a few tense moments, dropping his hold on Forge who landed at his feet in a heap.

"You animalistic son of a bitch," Forge said angrily getting to his feet and lunging at Logan, only to be restrained by Scott.

"Forge, you're going to have to calm down," Hank pleaded with the man whose struggles slowly ceased until he was standing still, breathing heavily.

"Now tell us what's going on?" Charles asked Forge as Scott, Hank, and Logan stood waiting for him to begin.

"I haven't seen nor heard from Ororo in the past three days," Forge begin but was cut off by Logan's question.

"What the fuck ya do to her?" Logan asked, taking a menacing step closer.

"That's what I want to know," Scott replied.

"What happens between me and my wife is our business," Forge replied.

"Not when you're coming to the mansion, telling us that one of our friends is missing," Scott replied, "So I would suggest you tell us something because there has to be a reason why Ororo would leave home and not tell her husband where she was going."

"The reason of her leaving isn't the issue here," Forge replied, closing his eyes and pinching his nose, "I need your help finding her. If you don't want to help me…"

"Forge, we are just concerned for her wellbeing," the Professor told him, "When was the last time you saw her?"

"Before I left for work three days ago," Forge replied, looking up at the Professor as he rolled closer, "I was suppose to have dinner with her that night to celebrate our anniversary but when I arrived home from work, the house was empty. I tried calling her and didn't get a response."

"Why in the fuck didn't ya call somebody the first day?" Logan said, pushing past his teammates to slam Forge against the wall.

"Logan, calm yourself," Hank told him, pulling on his arm.

"No Blue, he needs to start telling us the truth. Ro won't leave without telling someone where she was going," Logan replied.

 _Logan, I understand that you're upset but we need him to be able to speak so we can get to the bottom of this_ , the Professor told him telepathically, _Release him, please_.

Logan grudgingly compiled, releasing his hold on the man.

"Okay, so she needed some time alone," Scott said, trying to the get focus back on the issue at hand, "I know 'Roro likes her solitude but I'm with Logan, she wouldn't just leave and not tell you where she was going."

"I guess you don't know your friend as well as you think you do," Forge snapped, "Because if she was at home, I wouldn't be standing in New York right now."

"No need to get snippy with me, Forge," Scott replied, a line of red going across this goggles, "I know my sister very well and she's isn't the type of person to just up and leave without notice. That's a Wolverine move, not Roro. So you need to tell us what the hell happened to make her leave."

"Like I said, what happens between me and wife is our business. If you can't help me find her, then I'm wasting valuable time," Forge told him firmly.

"We understand your frustration Forge and will do all we can to help but you have to understand our concern as well," the Professor told.

"Yeah and the fact that ya waited three days before telling somebody something doesn't sit right with me," Logan growled.

"This is counterproductive," Hank said before turning and heading toward the War Room.

After a few seconds, the others followed the path the resident genius had taken.

Speaking a greeting to Jean, Hank approached the mainframe and keyed in the commands to have the computer to search of Ororo's comlink signal. The results pointed to the home she shared with Forge. Undeterred, he proceeded to try to pinpoint some of her other devices, her primary and secondary phones, her car GPS, and the GPS locator in her watch, all of which sent them back to the home in Arizona.

Irritated by their acts of duplicity, Forge lashed out. He asked them if they thought him dumb enough not to have tried that before coming over. Hank told him just as irritably that they had to try for themselves. Hank's outburst surprised Forge but not the others, who at that point were just as worried about their friend.

Their efforts ended twenty minutes later, not knowing any more than they did when they started. The scent of anxiousness wafting off of his colleagues permeated the room leaving Logan more agitated. Unable to take another minute of it, he growled deep in his chest and stood. He walked over to where Forge sat and yanked him from the chair.

"If anything has happened to Ro, the same will be done to ya," he told him.

"Is that a threat, Logan?" Forge replied gaze back at the feral mutant, the anger in his eyes mirroring that of his captor.

"Nah, motherfucker, it's a promise," Logan replied throwing him back in the chair before heading toward the door.

Ten minutes later, Logan was back in the Danger Room, raging against the machines, venting his anger at the Tinkerer. _That arrogant asshole_ , Logan thought as he gutted one of the 100 Forge clones. _If she's hurt, I'm going to…_ Logan began but the thought died as the clone slowly disappeared and the Danger Room was returned to its silver glory.

Growling, Logan looked up at the control tower and saw Charles.

"Logan, you have a phone call."

"It couldn't wait 'til I was done?" Logan asked tersely.

"No," Charles responded before transferring the call to the control panel in the room.

"Yeah," Logan growled into the receiver.

"Logan, bonjour. It be Jean-Luc LeBeau. I need ya ta make a trip down ta de bayou and bring me de cigars, mon ami."

"With all due respect, Jean-Luc, now's not a good time," he told him softly, calming down in seconds. He realized that in his anger, he hadn't contacted the people who Ororo considered family to let them know about her disappearance.

"Non, now's a very good time. You come ta de bayou now," Jean-Luc told him before hanging up the phone.

Sighing dejectedly, Logan returned the receiver to its holder. Making up his mind to do as he was asked, Logan sighed, resigning himself to be the one to deliver the bad news to not only Jean-Luc but Remy as well.

 _Dammit, Ro, where are you?_ he wondered as he made his way to his room to pack.


	4. Chapter 4: In the Bayou

Chapter 4: In the Bayou

 _Mon Dieu_ , Remy thought, looking at Ororo standing in the distance. He watched as she stood with her arms wrapped around her, gazing out over the expansive rolling lawns that ended abruptly into the swamp. The tall grass swayed in the gentle breeze that was only present near the weather goddess.

Remy hated not knowing what was bothering his sister and had tried several times to get her to open up to him but she refused, telling him that she first needed to speak with her husband about it before she could share with her brother.

After hearing the same response after each of his inquiries, Remy got pissed and let out a stream of French curses. Ororo matched his anger with a bit of her own, using nature to tell him to back off and to leave her be. When he didn't get the message, their father, summoned by the erratic weather, spoke to both of his children, getting them both to calm down a bit.

Sharing an apologetic gaze, Remy headed back toward the main house while his father stayed near Ororo and spoke soothingly to help her rein in her emotional outburst, watching as the water began to recede back into the swamp.

Knowing that she needed the only other someone who loved her just as much as he and his son did, Jean-Luc called and told Logan that he needed the cigars that he was due to receive right away. Stopping once to look back at his daughter, Jean-Luc hoped that Logan's presence will help his daughter begin to get back to herself, the strong, stubborn woman he loved.

Remy worked hard in the kitchen in an attempt to convince Ororo to finally join them for dinner. He knew that despite her mood, she would not be able to resist his food offering. She was his biggest fan when he donned the chef's hat. He and his father knew that she hadn't eaten since arriving to the Bayou and Remy, determine to not let his sister continue to starve herself on his watch, pulled out all of the stops and created a veritable feast fit for a queen.

He knew of his father's invitation to his X-Man colleague. Though he didn't care to think of his sister and the feral mutant together, he knew deep down that Logan loved Ororo just as much as he did and would do anything it took to break her out of the funk she was in.

 _Here's hoping he can do what we couldn't_ , Remy thought as he heard his cousin's jeep pull up, heading out to meet them.

"Ororo, please join an old man for dinner tis evenin'," Jean-Luc said, joining her in the same place she had stood hours ago.

"I'm not hungry, Papa Jean," she told him, her eyes still trained on something in the distance.

"We both know tis not true, chere," he replied, "I refuse to allow ya to come back heah and cause yoself sufferin' cause of some man who never meant ya any good," Jean-Luc replied angrily, causing Ororo to look at him.

"Papa," she began but he cut her off.

"Non. Yer better than that, chile, and tis old man will go to his grave before he let his daughter die of a broken heart," he replied, taking her face into his hands and wiping away the tears that immediately spilled.

"I know yer hurting and it hurts me and ya brother to see ya this way. He has spent the day working on ya favorite foods to apologize for upsetting ya earlier and it would be rude if ya didn't come to share a meal," he told her softly, "Won't ya come?"

Sighing softly, she nodded, causing him to smile. "Thank ya, chere. Ya make de ole man 'appy." He leaned in and kissed her forehead gently before giving her a firm, yet gently hug.

"Twenty minutes?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Twenty minutes," she replied with a slight smile.

"Alright 'n don keep us waiting. This Cajun be hungry," he replied with a wink, making her chuckle before turning and retracing his steps back to the main house.

As promised, Ororo entered the main house twenty minutes later, dressed in a simple beige dress. Her brother, in his infinite wisdom, with some assistance from one of their cousins, went out and purchased clothes for Ororo who had arrived with only the clothes on her back. She had not been able to appreciate the kind gesture until she was preparing for dinner and knew that she would have to be extra nice to him for taking such good care of her.

"Dere she be," Remy exclaimed as she stepped into the dining room, the smells of his culinary feast making her mouth water. Her stomach growled loudly in the suddenly quiet room.

"I guess that means tis time to eat," Jean-Luc replied with a smile as he rose to greet her as she joined them at the table.

"I hope ya got room for one more," a voice called out from the hall.

Ororo turned towards the sound, immediately recognizing the voice. She watched as Logan stepped into the room.

"Logan," she said.

"Hey Ro," he replied, walking deeper into the room to stand before her, "Long time no see."

She stepped closer to him and his arms immediately went around her, enclosing her in the safety of his arms.

"I've missed you, my friend," she whispered, her words for his ears only.

"Feelin's mutual, darlin'," he replied, hugging her tightly while taking a deep sniff, breathing in her unique scent that always put him at ease. Smelling the salt from her tears, he pulled back from her and cupping her cheeks in his hands, wiped away the water that stained her face. His brown eyes locked on her blue ones, a silent message passing between them as Logan leaned in and touched her forehead with his own, whispering supportive words for her ears only.

Hearing the slight clearing of a throat, Logan kissed Ororo's cheek before straightening up, his heart bursting at the sight of the beautiful face before him. "What do ya say we sample what the Cajun is cooking and then we take a stroll to walk it off?" he asked.

"I would like that," she responded, smiling fully for the first time since she arrived in the Bayou.

Seeing it, Jean-Luc glance over at his son with a slight smile and nod, telling him silently that things would be just fine.


	5. Chapter 5: What's Not Said

Chapter 5: What's Not Said

"Why didn't ya call me, Ro?" Logan asked gently after five minutes of silence as they began their moonlit stroll. Ororo, having spent a great deal of time in this particular part of the bayou, lead Logan along the path that she and many others had carved through the landscape over the years.

"And say what, Logan?" she asked, looking at him as they walked slowly, their shoulders slightly bumping.

"That ya need to get away," he replied.

"And if I had said that, your first response would have been "What did da bastard do to ya"," she said, mimicking his voice very well.

He chuckled before responding. "Ya know me too well, Ro." He reached out for her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm, acting as if they were back at the mansion, taking one of their nightly strolls.

He glanced over at her as they strolled slowly among the tall grass that continued to sway in the gentle breeze. It fucked him up to see her this way. The sadness she felt was suffocating his senses, making him anxious and antsy, the desire to gut something, namely Forge, becoming very strong. He hated feeling like there was nothing he could do to ease her pain.

Normally, he would give her the opportunity to share her thoughts but considering the circumstances, he decided to ask her.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not right now," she told him, with an apologetic glance before looking ahead of them again, falling silent.

Her silent apology took some of the sting out of her reply but he understood. When she was ready, she would and when she decided she was, he would be there. Accepting this, he pulled gently on her arm to stop her forward movement. He gathered her into their familiar embrace where she stood with her back to him and his chin gently resting on her shoulder.

In the beginning, this position was uncomfortable for him because of his strong desire for her. However, over time, his desire to be near her overshadowed his carnal ones and it became easier to deny that part of himself while in her presence.

Sighing, she allowed herself to lean into his strong embrace, tears filling her eyes as she began to speak.

"When I said I do, I never thought I would be forced to leave the home I built with him to find peace," she said, a tear sliding down her face, "I thought I had my happily ever after, Logan. I thought I had finally found that one thing that seemed to always escape my grasp."

"And that was?" he asked gently, nuzzling her neck encouragingly.

"Unconditional love that was for me and me only. Something I didn't have to share with someone else. But I was wrong," she replied, angrily wiping her eye, a rumble of thunder sounding in the distance.

"Ro, you've always had that at the Institute," he replied, taking her arms in his hands and turning her gently to look into her face.

"It's not the same," she replied, allowing him to lift her eyes to meet his.

"Why not?"

"The love I receive at the institute is familial. What I wanted could only be given by a man in love with a woman," she told him, her eyes falling a bit.

"Ororo, yer a beautiful woman, inside and out. A man would be a fool to not see that and from what I'm hearing, Forge is a bonafide fool – something I always knew," he said, happy to see the her lips lift in a brief smile, "But seriously Ro, ya can't let the actions of one asshole make ya feel like ya can't have that one thing ya desire. Hell, I know a couple of guys that would give their left nut for a chance to make a goddess happy."

She looked up at him at his last statement and a slight smile graced her face as she slowly shook her head.

"You are hopeless," she told him, leaning in and laying her head on his chest, sighing gratefully as his strong arms folded around her, encasing her in their protective hold.

"Yeah, that's me," he said softly, kissing the top of her cloud colored hair. _Hopelessly in love with you_ , he thought, looking up at the moonlit sky, closing his eyes as he breathed in deeply, committing this moment to memory.

Thirty minutes later, Logan was leading Ororo back toward the cottage that was her temporary home.

"He came to the Institute," he told her as they walked up the stairs.

"I'm not surprised," she replied, taking a seat on the porch swing, "When did he arrive?"

"Just before I left to come here," Logan replied, lighting one of his Cuban cigars, standing downwind from his friend.

"That bastard," she said angrily, "That no good, son of a bitch didn't have the decency to pretend he cared."

"Ro," Logan said, taking a step toward her, realizing that he may have said the wrong thing, especially when the sound of thunder rumbled loudly, causing the cottage to tremble.

"I'm fine Logan," she told him, getting to her feet and joining him at the banister, waving her hand to reset the weather to its previous state. She knew that her father and/or brother will be joining them shortly.

"Do you really want to know why I didn't call you first?" she asked out of the blue and continued on her train of thought without meeting his eyes, "I would have used you to get back at him and that, my friend, would not have been fair to you. So I decided to tread the safer of the two paths." Her eyes met his shocked ones.

Recovering from his shock and reading between the lines of her spoken words to glean the truth from her unspoken message, he replied, "Taking the dangerous path was the one ya should have taken in the first place."

"In hindsight, that's what I am afraid of," she replied, turning toward him and cupping his check with her hand, "I love you, my friend." She leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek, maintaining the contact several seconds longer than appropriate for friends.

"Feelin's mutual, darlin'," Logan replied, placing a kiss on her cheek before she pulled away, "Cajun's headed this way."

She looked up at him and he nodded in the direction that Gambit traveled, the light from his cigarette burning brightly against the intermittently dark backdrop as he walked the moonlit path.

"I think it's time to head back to mansion, don't you?" she told him, leaning against the banister as they both watched Gambit make his way toward them.

"I'm ready whenever ya are," he replied, taking a deep drag off his cigar, nodding to Gambit as he came within earshot.

"Why do I get the impression that you are planning to keep a close eye on me," Ororo said standing to her full height as Gambit climbed the stairs, joining them.

"Like I said earlier, darlin', ya know me too well."


	6. Chapter 6: The Reunion

**Chapter 6: The Reunion**

Ororo gazed out of the window as Logan flew them back to the mansion. As she said the night before, Logan wasn't going to let her out of his sight.

And he had not. He had taken her bags and placed them into his mini Jet that morning, stepping back down the platform to wait for her, making the decision for her to ride with him back to mansion.

"De man loves ya much, 'chere," her father told her as they looked over at the man who stood enjoying a cigar before the ride home.

"And I him, Papa, but," she began and the old man shook his head, cutting her off.

"Der be no buts. Follow yer heart on this one, no mattah what yer mind say," he told her, gently touching her heart before pulling her into a hug, "Don't be a stranger again. This ole man can' take not seeing yer beautiful smile."

"I won't. Merci pour tout, Pere," she replied, hugging him tightly, "Je te aime."

"Je te aime aussi ma fille," he replied as he pulled away, accepting her kiss on his cheek, "Now go, don' keep the man waiting."

She nodded, hearing the double meaning of his statement. She turned and headed to her brother who stood watching her stay goodbye to their father.

"Pere okay, 'chere?" he asked, taking a drag from his cigarette before dropping it and crushing it underfoot.

"Oui. Just sharing some wisdom, as always," she replied, "See you back at the mansion?"

"I'll be right behind you and lover boy," he replied with a glance toward Logan who scowled in return.

"Bye Gambit," Ororo told him, giving him a brief hug before heading toward Logan.

"Ready to go?" Logan asked, having heard her conversations with her father and brother but deciding to not discuss it right then. _Time for that later_ , he thought.

"As ready as I ever will be," she told him as she looked back over at her father who waved.

"Don't worry, Ro. I'll be right there with ya," he told her, taking her hand and leading her up the platform.

Ororo accepted Logan's arm as she stood and they made their way down the platform to enter the hangar. The ride back to the mansion was a quiet one. A comfortable silence fell over the cabin as he guided them through the clear blue skies. She knew that Logan had heard the things that her father had told her but thankfully, he hadn't said anything about it. And if he had, it would have added another complication to an already complicated situation.

 _One thing at a time_ , she thought as Gambit joined them. Before they headed towards the door, Ororo pulled gently on Logan's arm to get his attention.

"Ro?" he asked, his voice causing Gambit to stop and turn to look back at them.

"I know this may be asking a lot, but I need the both of you to keep your composure during my interaction with Forge," she told them looking from one man to the other.

"What ya mean, 'chere? What ya not tellin' us?" Gambit asked, taking a few steps closer to her, his gaze concerned.

"I have my reasons as to why I will not share with you what happened just yet but I need your word that you will not interfere no matter what happens," she told them.

"Can't promise that, Ro," Logan told her, his words edged with anger.

"Do you not trust me to handle this situation alone?" she asked him, her free hand going up to cup his cheek.

"I'm not going to stand by and let that bastard hurt ya again," Logan replied, his resolve faltering as he gazed into her blue eyes.

"I assure you, he cannot hurt me any more than he already has," she told him, "Do it for me, my friend?" she pleaded softly, her eyes his undoing.

"Fine but the first thing ya do after is find me and tell me what the hell is going on. Deal?" he countered quietly, lifting his hand to gaze her cheek.

"Deal," she told him, sealing it with a kiss on his cheek. She turned to see her brother watching their exchange with a knowing smirk.

"Remy?" she asked, not liking the smug look on his face.

"I'm with Logan on dis one. Ya find Remy too and let him know what's going on," he told her before going to the door and holding it open, "After you, 'chere."

They walked through the winding hall, heading to the War Room to check in with the person on duty. Logan and Gambit entered first, greeting Scott and Jean.

"It's strange that you two came back at the same time," Scott told them without looking up, oblivious to the smile spreading across Jean's face.

"I think I had something to do with that," Ororo said, drawing Scott's attention.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle," Scott said, as he stood and walked over to hug Ororo.

"So ya finally admit it," Logan replied, unable to resist the easy jab.

Scott shot him a bird behind his back as he continued holding Ororo. "How did I not see you on the cameras?"

"A woman has her secrets," Ororo replied, winking at Jean and receiving a wink in return.

Catching the silent gesture, Scott rolled his eyes as Jean came over to hug her sister.

 _We were worried_ , Jean told her telepathically.

 _I know and am sorry about that. Is Forge still here?_

 _Yes, he's with the Professor._

 _Does he know I'm here?_

 _No. He's complaining to the Professor how inept we are in trying to track you down. He upset Hank so much that Hank locked himself in the lab, refusing to come out until he was gone._

 _Will you let the Professor know I'm here and would like to speak with Forge in private?_

 _He knows and he says he can't wait to see you. Promise you won't be away this long again?_

"I promise," Ororo replied out loud, needing to break the connection, "Please excuse me."

Ororo cast a glance toward Gambit and then Logan before heading toward the door.

"Remember our deal, Ro," Logan called out before she stepped into the hall.

"I will not forget, Logan," she replied not glancing back as she stepped through the automatically opened door and headed toward the elevator. The heartache she felt made each step she took seem heavier than the last but she preserved, knowing that it was only her anxiety.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the Professor's door. Steeling herself, she watched the doors open and looked up into the face of her husband.

"Ororo," he whispered.


	7. Chapter 7: Showdown

**A/N** : Hey guys. Sorry for the delays with posting new content for _Getting Back to Me_ and _Ride of a Lifetime_. Real life is keeping me busy plus I think my muse is on vacay for _Ride_ so my goal is to finish posting _Getting_ first and then moving back to _Ride_. I may even have a surprise for you guys. Its a strong possibility.

Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and added me and my work to your followed/favorites lists. I'm honored and I hope that you will continue reading and enjoying the next few chapters of _Getting Back to Me_.

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Showdown**

"Hello Forge," she replied, "May I come in?"

Too shocked to speak, he stepped to the side, giving her space to enter the office.

"Ororo, my dear. It has been too long since I laid eyes on your beautiful face," the Professor greeted her as he came around his desk for the hug that had become customary after she moved away from the mansion.

"I agree and promise to make changes in the future so that my visits will happen more frequently," she told him, leaning into the hug and gently kissing his bald head.

 _Professor, I need you to help me keep a tight rein on my powers_ , she told him telepathically, opening her mind to allow him to see the images of the last time she had seen Forge.

 _I will do my best_ , he replied, "You gave us quite a scare, my dear. Are you feeling all right?"

"My apologies. I didn't mean to cause anyone any undue stress. I just needed some time alone," she replied.

"Time alone?" Forge asked in disbelief, his voice rising slightly, "You left, leaving without a word to anyone. As your husband, I have a right to know where you were and I demand an explanation of your absence."

"Now Forge," the Professor said, trying to intercede.

"No, Professor," Ororo said standing and looking down at him, before turning to look at her husband, "He is correct. As my husband, he does have a right to know where I was as well as an explanation for my sudden departure. If it's okay with you, Professor, may we use the study room for a private discussion?"

"Yes, Ororo. This still is and always will be your home," the Professor told her.

She looked back at him, with tears in her eyes. _Thank you_ , she whispered telepathically and he gave her a slight nod.

 _Now go, have your discussion. I am ready to assist you._

"Forge, may I speak with you privately in the study room?"

"There's no need for a private discussion. You owe me a damn explanation for leaving me on our anniversary and you need to start talking now," he said angrily.

"What happens between a man and wife is between them. I'm asking that you respect my feelings regarding this. So either you meet me in the study room or you will not hear an explanation regarding my absence," she told him firmly.

"Fine. Lead the way," he responded, going to the door and opening it, standing to the side so she could walk ahead of him.

"Now, what did you need to tell me that was so damn private?" he asked angrily, slamming the door behind them.

Unable to hold back her temper any longer, she let go, reveling in the fact that the Professor held back the tempest that she would have surely unleashed without his assistance.

"It's not what I wanted to tell you," she told him, her tone icy as she turned to face him, "It's what I wanted to ask – How long have you been fucking Diana?"

Ororo could see the disbelief wash over his face. She wasn't sure if it was the words she had chosen to express herself or the fact that she knew about his affair.

"Cat got your tongue?" she asked after a few moments when he didn't respond.

"You don't understand," he replied, his voice softening.

"What's not to understand, Forge?" she asked him, "The understanding was swift, I assure you, when I saw you having sex with your lab partner on top of your desk on our 3rd anniversary."

"Dammit, how could you?" She emphasized her point by slapping the top of the table, her sound of the impact echoing loud in the room, startling Forge. "Do you know what I sacrificed to be with you? What I gave up to move to Arizona? What I had to suppress to be the loving wife of a successful, workaholic inventor, who eventually spent more time in his lab than with his wife?"

When he didn't speak, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"But it all makes so much sense now," she said softly, becoming emotionally drained, and sitting in the wooden chair, "Why you were so busy and so determined to get the work done. Instead of working on the next big invention, you were "working" your lab partner." Her humorless chuckle echoed in the closed in space.

"Don't you have something to say about this?" Ororo asked tiredly, looking up at him.

"It was never my intention to begin an affair with Diana," he began, "She began assisting me with one of my projects and when it experienced a major breakthrough, we had an impromptu celebration in the office. We both had had too much to drink and we got to talking and I told her about the issues we were having and she began to console me. Then one thing led to another. I didn't want to hurt you, Ororo, you have to know that."

"No, I don't, because if you never intended to have an affair or hurt me, you would have brought your ass home to be with your wife where we could have dealt with our own issues," she told him angrily, getting to her feet again.

"And what, have an argument with you, cause you to have a weather moment and then have to explain things to Dumb and Dumber?" Forge spat out.

"Leave my friends out of this," Ororo warned, "This is just between you and me."

"No, Ororo. It's never been just between the two of us. I know you've been talking to your little friends about our issues, which is one of the reasons why I did what I did."

"So you have an affair with your lab partner because you think I had conversations with my male friends?"

"How do I know it was only conversations?"

"How dare you sit there and try to put your indiscretions on me when it was you in the lab fucking your lab partner?"

"Because I'm sure you and Logan are more than just friends and have been for a while," he retorted.

"See, that's where you're wrong. Logan and I are just friends but thanks to your actions, I will soon be able to pursue something with him beyond friendship if I so choose too," she told him, beginning to take her ring off as she rounded the table.

"You can have your ring back. I'm filing for divorce and will not be returning to Arizona. Have a nice life with Diana, Forge," Ororo told him as she placed the ring on the table and headed toward the door.

"You can't be serious?" Forge asked her looking from the ring to her back as she pulled open the door.

"I am," she replied, looking back at him, her head held high, "Goodbye Forge.


	8. Chapter 8: Healing

**Chapter 8: Healing**

Though she walked with her head held high, Ororo felt as if her world was crashing around her. She felt the pang of lost but yet she persevered as she made her way to her mentor's office. She heard his welcoming voice asking her to enter.

"Thank you for your assistance," Ororo told him.

"You are quite welcome, my dear," he told her coming around the desk and taking her hand, encouraging her to sit, "So what are you going to do now?"

"I thought I would begin by asking you if you knew of a good lawyer who could oversee a speedy and peaceful divorce proceeding," she told him, hugging herself as she took the offered seat, "Then I would like to resume my teaching responsibilities and serve as a member of the team again."

"I think I know someone who will do as you requested," Charles responded, holding out his hand with a silent request. Acquiescing, one of Ororo's hands filled his as he continued, "We would be delighted to have you back at the Institute, because honestly, my dear, it has not been the same without you. However, I think it would wise for you to take some time for yourself before jumping back into things."

"But Professor," she began but he shook his head.

"You're enduring a very difficult situation and you need time to recover from it. So take your time. We will be here when you are ready."

His words were a healing balm that she needed at that very moment. She looked over at him and smiled as a tear slide down her face, which he promptly wiped away. Though he hated seeing one of his favorite students in pain, he knew it was only temporary, "Now, will you be needing some assistance moving your things back to your room?"

"Charles, you didn't?"

"Yes, I most certainly did. Your room has not been disturbed since your last visit," he told her producing a set of keys, "It has always been my secret desire that you would return to the mansion. Though I had hoped it would be under happier circumstances."

"Yes, I had hoped the same but alas, we don't always get what we want," she said standing and tucking the keys in her pocket.

"True but sometimes, the thing we want is not what is best for us," Charles responded, "And sometimes, when the change needs to be made, it can be painful. But one thing I do know about you, Ororo, is that you are one of the strongest women I know. Though it hurts greatly now, hopefully you will see the strength that you have hidden deep within and use that strength to help you begin the next chapter in your life."

"Thank you, Charles," she whispered, leaning over to give him a hug.

After a moment, she pulled away, wiping away a tear. "I think I can manage it now on my own," she told him, referring to her abilities as they felt the mansion tremble and heard the unmistakable sound of a jet taking off. Ororo thought that Forge had left the building and the Professor's next statement confirmed it.

"Forge certainly left in a hurry," the Professor told her.

"Not fast enough for me," she replied, leaning over and kissing his cheek, "Thank you for always being there."

"That's what family does and you, my dearest Ororo are family," he replied, taking her hand and placing a gentle kiss on the back of it, "Now, if I'm not mistaken, you have two gentlemen waiting on pins and needles for you to share your news with them."

"Then who am I to keep them waiting," she said with a slight smile before stepping out of the office, headed in search of her brother.

She found Gambit where she thought he would be, cuddled next to Rogue on the couch in the upstairs rec room near her bedroom.

"Good evening, Rogue, Gambit," Ororo greeted them.

"Evenin' sugah. It's good to see ya," Rogue replied, as Remy helped to stand and she hugged her friend.

"Rogue, do you mind if I borrow Remy for a few minutes?"

"No, sugah. Go right ahead. I'll be my room," she replied, getting an air kiss from Gambit, "Cut it out swamp rat."

Ororo smiled at their teasing, even though her heartache was still fresh in her mind.

She motioned for Gambit to take his seat on the sofa and Ororo sat on the arm, quickly relaying to him the events that caused her to call him in the early evening of a night four days ago.

When she told him about the divorce, he nodded his head and stood to his feet, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Remy glad to heah ya and de Tinkerer are no more. He wasn't good enough for ya 'chere," he told her softly, his lips near her ear. Pulling away, he looked at his padnat closely and though she looked a bit drain, she wasn't any worse for wear.

"Ya told da Wolverine yet?"

She shook her head.

"What Papa said back at the airfield tis true. Da man loves ya," he told her.

"I know but," she began.

"Non, ya don't know," Remy told her, shaking his head, his eyes flashing, "De man is in love with ya."

"And you are telling me this now because?" Ororo asked.

"Maybe this be a chance for ya ta find de thing ya longing for 'chere. That all Remy trying ta say."

"I'm sorry, brother. That is not something I can think about right now considering everything that's happened," Ororo replied, leaning in and kissing his cheek, "Now that I'm "free", I will take this time to heal and get back to the Ororo I use to be."

"Remy understand. Just don't let dis thing get ya down. Yer stronger than ya know. Just give yerself time," he told her.

"I will, brother," she replied before giving him a quick hug before turning to leave. "Please tell Rogue I said thank you for allowing you to baby sit your sister for the past few days."

"Remy will. Now go talk to de Wolverine."

She found Logan where she thought she would, sitting on the log bench, smoking a cigar, gazing into the darkness above the lake.

She floated down and landed a few feet away in the clearing. She made her way over and sat next to him just as he reached down to put out the cigar against the arm rest of the bench.

"Ro," he said, not looking at her, his gaze still trained on the dark lake.

"Logan," she replied, and could see the slight lift of his lip out of the corner of her eye.

"Ya good?"

"No, but I hope that in time I will be," she told him, welcoming the warmth she felt coming from him.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Honestly, no, but I made a promise or a deal as you called it and I must honor it," she told him, getting to her feet and wrapping her arms around herself, "It's just that it's something that's not easy to talk about."

"Yeah, it be's that way sometimes, but I was told that once ya get it off yer chest, ya kin start feelin' better," he told her, getting to his feet and joining her at her side.

"And who told you that silly sentiment?" she asked, in mock anger, looking over at him.

"This wise chick I know by the name of Ororo Monroe," he told her, playing along, realizing at the moment, he had missed these interactions with his friend, "Do you know her?"

"I did once," she replied, glancing at him, her eyes shining, "But now, I'm not so sure."

"Ro, ya know I'm not the type to hound anyone about their demons, cause I got enough of my own," he began, taking her arms in his hands and turning her to face him, "But I know for a fact that yer advice works like a charm, even when talking about it hurts like hell."

Lifting her chin with his finger, he waited until her eyes met his. "So what do ya say?"

She nodded and took a step back, ending the embrace. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her eyes to meet his again. Though shining with tears, her eyes were defiant.

"He was having an affair with his lab partner. I caught them having sex on his desk in his lab on our third anniversary," Ororo told him, "I did all I could to be the best wife I could be and the woman he wanted to me be."

"Damn, I'm sorry, Ro," he said, his eyes showing her that he truly meant what he said.

"So am I," she replied, "But you know the most fucked up part about it, I did all I could to make him happy. So much so that I lost myself in the shuffle and what do I have to show for it? Not a damn thing."

The tears that had threatened to fall, now streaked down her face and were soon camouflaged by the rain that began to fall in earnest. Logan, ignoring the water that fell into his eyes, went to his friend who had turned her face heavenward. When she felt his arm go around her, she looked into his face and asked, "Why couldn't he be true to me?" With that, she collapsed into his arms, the sobs racking her body was emphasized by the rumbling thunder that sounded almost in succession.

Ignoring it all, Logan took the woman in his arms and whispered soothing words in her ear as she released the pent up emotion that she had suppressed for the past few days. Ten minutes later, Logan made his way into the mansion, carefully stepping over downed tree limbs that littered the path as he carried a sleeping goddess in his arms.

He was met at the door by members of the team, each wearing a worried look on their face.

"Is she okay?" Jean asked, reaching out to wipe an errant wet lock of hair from Ororo's face.

"Yeah. She's sleep now," Logan told them as they parted to make room for him as he stepped over the threshold.

"She burned herself out," Charles told the members present, "I'm monitoring her and she's fine, just very tired."

 _Logan, Ororo would like for you to stay in her room with her_ , Xavier told him telepathically.

 _That was my plan_ , Logan replied.

 _Her keys are in her front right pocket_ , Charles informed him.

 _Thanks, Chuck_.

 _Goodnight, my friend. I will continue monitoring her._

"I can sit with her tonight, Logan," Jean offered and Logan shook his head.

"I got it, Red," Logan replied, walking deeper into the mansion, heading for the stairs, taking the goddess to her place of rest.


	9. Chapter 9: Reconnecting

**A/N:** I have to admit. I'm so wrong for leaving you guys hanging like that. My apologies for taking so long to update this story. No, I haven't forgotten about it and actually, this one is complete. I'm still working on _Riding_ so expect to see updates to that one soon as well. Thanks again for all of the feedback (reviews, favorites, following, etc.). It truly touches my heart to see them. Here's the next chapter for _Getting_. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Reconnecting**

Ororo tried to roll over in the bed but found that her movements were hampered by a warm body. Opening her eyes, she saw that she couldn't move because of Logan's sleeping form. He was lying on his side, facing her, his thick arm loosely wrapped around her midsection.

Realizing she had nothing to be worried about, she snuggled closer to him and felt him respond by pulling her closer to him.

"Too early to get up, go back to sleep, darlin'," he mumbled.

"How did you know I was awake?" she asked. He hadn't open his eyes yet.

"Yer breathing and heart rate changed. Now go back ta sleep," he said, one eye opening.

Yawning into her palm, she silently agreed that it was definitely too early to get up just yet. She still felt fatigued due to her over exertion the day before. She shuddered at the thought of the cleanup she and the team were facing.

"Chuck said to not worry about the damage. It's been taken care of," Logan told her, eerily addressing her silent concern, "Now, there's nothing to worry yer pretty little head on. So go back to sleep." He pulled her closer as he laid on his back, encouraging her to lay her head on his chest.

"As you wish, Logan," she told him, feeling his mouth move into what she guessed was his smirk as she did as he asked.

Several hours later, freshly showered and sated from the lunch that her teammates had prepared, Ororo found herself taking a long walk around the lake. Though many of her teammates had offered to join her, she gently declined their offers, saying that she needed time for herself. And she did. She needed to figure out what her next steps would be. As much as she wanted to throw herself headlong into being an X-Man again, her heart still ached.

Sighing, her eyes were drawn toward the middle of the lake. She realized that she had walked around it and still had a couple of miles to go to complete the circle. Suddenly not in the mood to walk any longer, she opted to take the short cut, directly across the lake.

Taking to the skies, she relished the feel of the wind in her hair. She had missed these small things. She couldn't take the flights that she had enjoyed while in Arizona for fear that she would be seen. She looked down at her reflection and couldn't help but think of a moment she remembered from her past when her parents were still living. They were sitting on a lake shore similar to the one at the mansion and happened to see a baptismal being performed.

When she asked her parents about it, her father told her that it was a religious ceremony of cleansing. Her mother went on to explain that there was a practice similar to it in her culture where a person, who needed to begin again, would go on a short pilgrimage and submerge themselves in the waters of Lake Victoria and their past grievances and conflicts would be washed away, leaving them renewed and reinvigorated.

With nothing left to lose, Ororo angled the winds downward and submerged herself into the lake. The coolness of the water was a slight shock to her system before her body regulated itself, making the water comfortable. She swam a bit until her lungs started to complain and then headed toward the surface to take a breath. When her head crested the watered, she decided to swim the rest of the distance and went under once again, allowing the sound of the water and her movements through it to help sooth her wounded spirit. Feeling the slight change in the landscape, she allowed her body to drop so that her feet connected with the underwater earth and began walking out of the water.

Logan had given Ororo the space she had requested. He figured she would possibly make her way back to their favorite spot, so he decided to take up residence on the wooden bench and wait for her.

Feeling a gentle wind, laced with her scent, Logan looked up and the sight before him took his breath away. He watched as she came into view, riding the winds and her dive into the watery depths. He stood slightly, worried for a moment that she was in trouble. When she surfaced before going under again, he relaxed back into his seat and waited.

The cigar nearly dropped from his gaping mouth as he watched as she emerged from the water, looking like the goddess he thought her to be. He was spellbound as more of her body was exposed with each step that she took. She smiled at his shocked expression, causing him to close his mouth with an audible snap.

"You looked as if you saw something unbelievable," she teased him, as she walked toward him, the wind blowing gently, drying her.

"I did. Ya are a stunningly beautiful woman and if any man can't see that, they don't deserve to be in yer presence," he told her, causing her to smile and lower her eyes briefly, unable to take the overwhelming adoration in his stare.

"Thank you, Logan," she told him, going over and taking his arm as she sat beside him, "You really know what to say to make a girl feel special."

He leaned over and kissed the crown of her head. "Just stating the facts," he replied, calmer now that she was next to him.

"So tell me Logan, what did I miss while I was away?" she asked, needing to hear about someone else so she can temporarily escape her own reality.

"Honestly, Ro. Not much," he replied.

"Oh really?" she began, looking over at him as he turned to look at her, waiting for her to continue, "That's not was I was told. I remember someone mentioning that you had a girlfriend."

He chuckled to himself. He figured someone would spill the beans about his relationship. What he didn't expect was Ororo asking him about it while she was going through a breakup of her own.

"Not much to tell, darlin'," he told her, relighting his cigar and taking a deep drag.

"Oh really?" she asked, sitting up a bit and turning to the side to face him, "So why are you avoiding the question."

"I'm not avoiding the question, yer just not accepting my answer."

"Logan," Ororo told him warningly, the gentle breeze she'd created to send the smoke in the opposite direction became a short gust, putting out his cigar.

He chuckled again, knowing he was slightly ruffling her feathers. Probably not a good thing to do but Logan wasn't a guy who played it safe.

"Alright, darlin'," he said chuckling again when she poked him in the side, hitting one of his ticklish spots. She was the only person other than his ex who knew about it.

Taking her hand in his, he began. "When ya left, I had too much time on my hands and for a guy like me, that's a bad thing. So I started taking paid gigs doing stuff for people around the world. On one mission, I met this chick, Neena was her name, and she was into me about as much as I was into her. At first it was a physical thing but I figured it was time for me to try to have a woman in my life."

"Logan, why didn't you tell me about her?" Ororo asked, sounding a bit like her old self.

"Hush, I'm telling ya now," he told her, with a smirk that caused a slight lift in her lips, "So things started getting kinda heavy until one day she was preparing to leave and she told me that she couldn't do it anymore."

"Do what?"

"Love a man who was in love with someone else."

"Logan," Ororo said sadly, hating that her friend had to go through that.

"It was true what she said but I didn't know how she knew but Domino had this uncanny ability to see through my bullshit, both good and bad."

"You dated Domino from X-Factor?" she asked incredibly.

"Yeap, for a couple of years but the last day we were together, she told me that I should tell the woman I love how I feel about 'er."

"Did you tell her?" Ororo asked, a part of her thinking that the person he was talking about was Jean but her father's and brother's words came to mind, "The woman you love, I mean."

"On several occasions but she didn't know that I meant it in that way," he replied, instinctively pulling her closer.

"It's me isn't it?" she asked softly, turning to face him.

"Ya sure ya want to know the answer to that question?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"I would not have asked the question if I did not want to know the answer," she countered.

"I," he began but stopped, looking up toward the path. He got to his feet and pulled her up as well.

"What's wrong?"

"We got company, Ro," he told her.

"Logan…" she began but the words died in her throat at Captain America and Black Panther made their way towards them.

 _As if this day couldn't get any worse_ , she thought, watching her first love walk into the clearing.

"We were told we would find you here," Captain American said, "Logan, Ororo, it's a pleasure seeing you again."

"The pleasure's mine, Captain," she greeted him, going to give him a hug, "How are things with the Avengers?"

"The same as always, never a dull moment," he told her, his normal response to her question.

"Yeah, that's the way it is for the world's heroes," Logan replied, "Cap. Panther." He nodded his greeting to each man in succession.

"Logan," Panther replied, nodding at him, "Ororo, may I have a word with you in private?"

Ororo wasn't surprised by his question. She heard Logan's low growl and turned to her friend, knowing the reason for the Avengers' presence.

"It's okay, my friend. I'm sure the King has something very important that he needs to speak with me about," she said, gently touching his forearm.

"Fine. But we finish our conversation later," he replied a bit harshly.

"Yes," she said but was interrupted by Panther.

"You need to watch how you address her," he said angrily.

"Cap, get yo boy before he makes the mistake of pissing me off," Logan replied.

"You will not disrespect Ororo while in my presence," Panther replied heatedly.

"But ya can," Logan began but was cutoff by Ororo's hand on his cheek as she turned his eyes toward hers.

"Don't. We will talk later as you said, okay?" she told him, her words for his ears only, "Do it for me?"

He could sense a spike in anxiousness from her and reluctantly swallowed the rest of his comeback. After gazing in her pleading eyes, he stepped away from her, and headed toward the men, brushing past them.

"Come on, Cap," Logan called over his shoulder, not stopping his forward momentum.

 _Wow, now that's something you don't see everyday_ , Captain America thought, before turning to T'Challa.

"I'll see you back at the mansion," Captain replied, before looking back at Ororo, "Goodbye Goddess."

Ororo smiled despite the situation as Captain made his way along the trail that Logan had blazed. Her smile began to falter as she looked at T'Challa.

"T'Challa, it truly is a surprise to see you here," she told him, "What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"We got the readings on last night's storm in the area and I knew that something was wrong so I came to check on you. What did the feral do to piss you off?"

"It wasn't Logan and please, refer to him by name. He was respectful to you, so please extend to him that same courtesy," she told him.

"Fine," he replied, taking a step toward her, "What upset you so?"

"Forge," she told him.

"Ororo, I told you he was an asshole to when you started dating him," T'Challa said angrily.

"And others said the same thing about you but I still dated you despite their warnings," Ororo countered angrily. _The gall of this man_ , she thought. She knew that she was not in the mindset to manage T'Challa's ego. "You've received the information you sought so you can be on your way. As you can see, I'm fine."

"Ororo, please," T'Challa told her, reconsidering his approach as he heard the approaching thunder, "I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay."

Lifting her head defiantly, she gazed at him, "Then you would have been better off using a phone," she told him before taking to the skies, heading to her room.


	10. Chapter 10: Rage Against the Machine

**Chapter 10: Rage Against the Machine**

"What da hell did ya do to her, Panther?" Logan growled as he met Panther on his way back to the clearing, the rumbling thunder a sign of Ororo's discontent.

"Nothing. It's obvious that she's suffering from some emotional stress and I was just trying to assist in her healing," Panther told him.

"She didn't need yer assistance. She was doing just fine before ya got here," he replied menacingly.

"Yes, she's doing just fine after creating a sizable severe thunderstorm system that caused nearly a million dollars in damage," T'Challa said sarcastically, "Now where is she so I can bid her farewell."

"What do ya mean, where is she?" Logan asked incredulously, "We left her with ya."

"Well, she flew off somewhere."

"Fuck!" Logan growled, turning to head back into the mansion. Before he could take the stairs, Ororo was coming toward the foyer with Gambit and Rogue.

"Ro?" Logan said, halting his movements, gazing over her to make sure she was okay.

"Logan," she replied, "I was coming to look for you so we could finish our conversation."

"Not before we finish ours," T'Challa said, taking a step toward her.

"Not today, bub. Ya've already upset her once. Wasn't that enough?"

"What happens between me and my fiancée is none of your concern, feral mutant."

"Ex fiancée. She kicked yer ass to the curb long time ago," Logan replied.

"Stop it," Ororo said softly.

"That's only because she needed more time to make up her mind but you didn't help matters, filling her head with lies about me!" T'Challa spat out.

"I said, stop it!" Ororo said loudly, the thunder shaking the mansion, "That is enough from both of you. I will not have my business spoken about in the middle of the foyer in front of my friends."

With a heated gaze at both of them, she turned and headed toward the elevators.

"I think we may have overstayed our welcome," Captain America said, drawing the attention of the assembled group, whose gaze was on the path that Ororo had taken.

"I do not think…," Panther began and took a step, only to be stopped by a firm hand on his forearm. Looking up into Captain America's face, he saw the subtle shake of his head.

"I believe that it's past time for us to return to base," Captain America told him, speaking loud enough for the others to hear. Sensing his colleague's anger, Cap removed his hand and turned to face the others present.

"It's been a pleasure seeing you all again. Please give the Professor our regards," Captain told them before heading out of the front door with Panther following reluctantly behind him, leaving without saying goodbye.

"Good riddance," Logan said before heading toward the elevator.

"Wolverine, don ya think she deserve some time alone, non?"

"If she wanted to be alone, she would have said so, Cajun," Logan replied over his shoulder not stopping his forward motion, determined to finish his conversation with the woman he loved.

 _The nerve of them_ , she thought as she hurried down the stairs, heading to the basement. She knew if she didn't release the anger she felt raging within, she would lash out and in the fragile state of mind she was, she didn't want to say something that she couldn't take back. So the safest bet was to remove herself from the company of people.

She rounded the corner and ran headlong into Hank, who with his quick reflexes caught her before she hit the floor.

"Oh my, Ororo, are you okay?" he asked, helping to stabilize her, gazing at her with concern.

"Yes and no," she replied, looking up into his kind face, the tears she had been holding in starting to fall.

"My dear, is there anything I can do?" he asked softly, pulling her to him in a gentle embrace.

"Yes," she replied, pulling away and wiping her face, "Would you be so kind as to program a session in the Danger Room for me?"

"Are you sure you will be up to it?"

"Absolutely," she replied defiantly, slightly lifting her quivering chin.

"Then by all means, who am I to not assist a damsel while she's in distress," he replied with a bow. He took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm, immediately reminding her of Logan. He led her to the Control Tower for the Danger Room and got input from her about the level she desired.

"Please make sure I am not disturbed," she told him, her eyes whiting over as she guided the winds to lift her. She headed thorough the opened section of the observation deck which closed securely behind her. When she gave him the signal, he began the program.

A minute later, Logan burst through the door, his gaze going directly toward the flashes of lightning through the glass window that looked down into the Danger Room.

"Beast, what da hell ya thinking, letting 'er go through one of my level 7 simulations?" Logan asked, unable to take his eyes off the woman who fought ferociously against the simulated opponents.

"I've learned that when a woman wants something, it's in a man's best interest to make it so," Hank replied, equally riveted by the aerial acrobats and sharpshooter targeting that the resident wind rider was displaying.

"Dammit, Hank, she's not in the right mindset to be doing that shit," Logan replied angrily.

"And are you ever in the right mindset when you do the exact same thing she is doing? Releasing pent up emotions and anger in a controlled environment to avoid hurting others or damaging property?" Hank asked, slightly miffed at Logan's comment, "I did not deny her, just as I do not deny you or anyone else, myself included, when there is a need to purge yourself of the rage. She has been through a great deal and is entitled to have a moment where it's just her and the anger against the world."

"So like I do with you and others, I will stand by to ensure that no harm comes to her while she's engaged in the session."

As soon as he finished speaking, they heard a loud boom and watched in horror as a section of one of the simulated walls began to crumble. They watched helplessly as Ororo was entombed by the falling debris.

"ORORO!" Logan yelled, heading to the door, determined to get to her.

"Wait," Hank said from his standing position, his eyes on the mound of debris that covered their friend, "Look."

As they watched, the debris began to lift and swirl in a cyclonic pattern around the mound as if lifted by a tornado. Soon, all of the debris was airborn and Ororo on her hands and knees came into view. As soon as the last brick lifted, the goddess fell to the ground, the debris falling back to the ground in a circle around her.

"Open the damn door, Hank," Logan growled over his shoulder as he headed out the door and down the stairs.

Silently, the scientist complied, resetting the access code so that anyone with a code could enter. As he waited for Logan to make an appearance, he watched with wonder at the woman as she slowly got to her feet, her head lifting and her eyes meeting his. With a slight smile, she let him know that she was okay. He returned her slight smile but he worried about the gash on her forehead.

He went against his nature and instead of rushing in to attend her, he waited. Instinctively knowing she would be okay, Hank released a breath he didn't know he was holding as the doors slid open to admit Logan. Also knowing as well as he knew his name that Logan would take care of their resident goddess, Hank did the next logical thing. He entered the shutdown commands and left, headed to the MedLab to prepare it for her arrival. He left a battered Ororo to face an angry Wolverine.

"Logan," she said tiredly in greeting, "Please…"

"Please what, Ororo?" he begin, snatching a towel from the cabinet and headed to where she stood, lifting it to cover the deep gash in her head, "Dammit Ro, what the hell were you thinking?"

"Pretty much the same damn thing you're thinking when you do the same damn thing," she snapped pulling her head away from his ministrations, before trying to take a step, her legs wobbly, failing to support her weight.

He caught her before she fell.

"Unlike me, ya don't have a healing factor," he argued gently, his anger dissipating as the reality of the situation hit him, knowing that she could be seriously injured and he was standing there scolding her. He calmed a bit as her scent hit his nose.

Instinctively, he cradled her against him, "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," she moaned after wincing, finally feeling the effects of being at the bottom of the pile.

"Ya were lucky," Logan replied, gently lifting her in his arms.

"Yes, that's me, the lucky goddess," she replied sarcastically as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"Ya stopped my heart with that stunt," he told her.

"I scared myself," she replied, wincing as she applied pressure to the towel on her head wound.

"So let's not do that again solo, okay?" he told her, heading toward the exit, "Call me and we can rage against the machines together, deal?"

"Deal," she replied tiredly, fighting to stay awake.


	11. Chapter 11: Reflections

**A/N:** Well, here's the last chapter of Getting Back to Me. I hope you have enjoyed this journey. Make sure to share your thoughts by posting a review. Happy reading!

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Reflection**

Ororo looked into the mirror as she got ready for her divorce proceedings. The last two months of her life had been very trying and she was ready for the situation to be over. As promised, the Professor knew someone who would be able to take her case and expedite the proceedings.

In the interim, Ororo had to communicate with Forge who grew more and more difficult to work with the closer they got to the "big day" as Logan called it. She couldn't understand why he was angry. She was the one who should be angry but thankfully, she had someone in her corner who had helped the make the transition from a married woman with a cheating husband to a single woman a less daunting task.

A smile creased her face as she thought about Logan and how he had helped her during that time. The daily walks, no holds bar sparring sessions, impromptu picnics, and pseudo date nights had been just what the doctor ordered. His support was truly what helped her to have the energy to get out of bed and try to get back to a normal life.

Though she had had her dark moments, she wasn't able to experience them for very long because between Logan and Remy, not to mention the rest of the team, she was forced to stay engaged. There were times she felt smothered but then she thought about how lonely she felt in her old home where she spent most of her time alone. Those thoughts helped her to get past the feelings of being smothered.

Now that the day had arrived, she was nervous but was more than ready for it and that chapter of her life to be over. Both Logan and Remy had wanted to be there but considering Forge's response to her during the few times they had communicated, she knew bringing her friends along to the proceedings would not go over well. After some persuading and promises, they allowed her to travel to Arizona alone.

She arrived at the courthouse with fifteen minutes to spare. Climbing the stairs, she heard her name and looked up to see her attorney standing by one of the pillars, a smile on his face. When she reached him, he took her hand and hugged her excitedly, startling her.

"They've decided to settle out of court," he told her in an excited whisper, as he escorted her into the building.

"What made them change their minds?" she asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"The security videos," he replied, holding the door for her as they stepped off the elevator.

"Videos?" Ororo asked, as he held the door open to a small conference room.

"Yeah, apparently he and Diana forgot about them and were caught in the act several times in different areas of the lab. So they didn't have a leg to stand on and decided to go ahead and give you the full amount you are entitled too."

"And that would be?" Ororo asked, as she sat in the chair he indicated, taking one across from her.

"How does a $3.6 million dollar lump sum, plus $10,000 a month for spousal support, in addition to your car and the house in the Bahamas sound?" James told her, a smile on his face.

"What?! Are you serious?!" Ororo asked, her hand covering her heart, feeling a bit light headed.

"I mean it's a lot but I didn't want to be greedy," he replied, not understanding her response.

"No, no. It's more than enough. It's a lot more than I expected," she replied.

"Okay, so the only thing left is to sign the decrees and receive the car title and the deed to the house. They were told to come with them," James told her, "Did you bring along a cancelled check so that they can create a direct deposit for your lump sum and alimony payments?"

"Yes," Ororo replied, still slightly shocked by the outcome of the divorce.

Seeing the slightly unbelieving look on his client's face, he asked gently, "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm sorry," Ororo replied, looking up at him with a slight smile, "I'm just taking everything in."

"Okay," he replied, watching her closely. When he thought she looked composed, he asked, "Do you have any questions or comments before we meet with them?"

"I would rather not take the house or car," she told him.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's really none of my business, but may I ask why?" James asked, feeling a bit disappointed. He'd figured she wouldn't want the house in Arizona but surely she would want her car and the house in the Bahamas.

"I'm sure. I would really like to move on from this experience and the house and car invoke memories I would like to forget," she told him with a sad smile, reaching across the table to take his hand, "Thank you for everything you've done. I greatly appreciate your help with this."

"Just tell Charles my bill is in the mail," he replied, gently squeezing her hand, enjoying the smile on her beautiful face.

"Send it to me instead, since I am a tad bit richer, thanks to you," she replied as they stood and headed to the conference room.

When Ororo stepped in, her good feelings immediately faded as her eyes fell upon Diana, who sat next to Forge like she belonged there.

"Good morning," Alex, Forge's attorney greeted them, as Ororo took the seat her lawyer, pulled out for her, "I believe everyone knows everyone."

"We do, however, I would appreciate it if Diana would step out in the hall while we discuss the matter at hand," Ororo said, her eyes moving from Alex to Forge, then finally Diana.

"What? Why?" Diana asked angrily.

"Forge knows how I feel about matters between husband and wife. Unfortunately, due to some extenuating circumstances, we are sitting in this room today and though we are about to make it official, he and I are still husband and wife. That being the case, what happens between a husband and wife, should stay between them. Since you are neither, I would appreciate it if you step out into the hall until the business we need to conduct is completed," Ororo told her, her eyes never straying from Forge's face.

"You may be the wife right now but as soon as the divorce is done, we're going to get married," Diana replied snidely, displaying her ring, which happened to be Ororo's old ring.

Ororo's eyes widen at the realization and looked at Forge who turned his eyes away. The absurdity of the situation was too much for Ororo. She started laughing, which shocked the others in the room. Instead of getting angry, Ororo did the next best thing.

Leaning forward to her ex, she asked, "So instead of keeping the ring as a token of our relationship, you passed it on to your next?"

It was Diana's turn to look shocked, her eyes widening as she turned her gaze to Forge. The angry look on his face was the proof that she needed. Instead of having to be persuaded to leave, Diana turned and left without a word, slamming the door behind her.

"Was that necessary?" Forge asked softly, his anger evident on his face.

"She simply needed to know the type of man she was planning to marry," Ororo replied, accepting the stack of documents from her lawyer, "And since you felt the need to bring her along to discuss our personal business, I figured what's good for the goose was good for the gander."

"I didn't realize you were so bitter and antagonistic, my dear," Forge said snidely.

"Only when the situation calls for it," she replied, her gaze going over to Alex when he cleared his throat.

Once he had everyone's attention, Alex began going over the details of the spousal support agreement. When James explained that they could remove the house and car from her judgement, both men looked at Ororo in shock.

Alex had never had someone give something back before, especially when they were entitled to it.

Forge, knowing who Ororo was, should have seen it coming but yet was surprised by her decision. He watched her as the lawyers made the slight adjustment and the court reporter/notary who had sat quietly in the corner notarized the document to show the changes.

Though she didn't mention a reason for her lack of desire for the assets, he figured that maybe she didn't want to relieve the memories they'd made in each piece of property.

After all of the documents were signed by both parties, Ororo looked over at Forge whose eyes met her.

"I didn't think we would be here," she told him softly, "But I know things happen for a reason. I wish you well in your future endeavors."

"My sentiments exactly. Until we meet again, my beautiful goddess," Forge told her, briefly touching her hand before she stood, causing her attorney to stand.

"Goodbye Forge," Ororo replied, blinking back her tears as her attorney lead her out the room.

"Wow," Alex replied, watching them exit.

"Yeah, she's one of a kind," Forge replied, hating himself for what he had done. Though he knew he couldn't undo what was done, he wished that he done things a bit differently because if he was really honest with himself, he truly loved Ororo. Probably always would.

Getting slowly to his feet, he dreaded the conversation he knew he would have to have with his current fiancée. He shook his head, not understanding why he let himself one, propose to Diana and two, use Ororo's old ring. It was definitely going to be a long night.

Outside, Ororo stood gazing out at the slightly overcast sky. With a thought, she encouraged the clouds to move away, allowing the sun to shine. With her face heavenward, she stood there basking in the warmth of the sun for a moment. She had given her account information to her lawyer who then made a call and five minutes later, Ororo was 3.5 million dollars richer. She had been generous to her lawyer and his firm and had exceeded his asking amount, giving him a cool $100,000 for his services. Now alone, she began to walk down the marble stairs, her thoughts on the traveling before her. Before she reached the bottom, she heard her name and looked over to see Logan, leaning up against a black limo.

"Need a ride?" he asked.

Smiling and shaking her head, she asked, "Depends on where you're going?"

"Wherever the lady wants to go," he replied as she neared him.

"Is that so?" she asked, her hand on her chin as she pretended to consider her options, "How about that Canadian hide away I've heard so much about?"

"Your wish is my command," Logan replied, taking her hand and kissing it gently, his eyes never leaving hers.

 _Yes, things do happen for a reason_ , she thought as she allowed him to help her into the car, thankful that the man was in her life.


End file.
